Ezra 4

4 ¹When di enemy people of Judah and Benjamin hear say di people wey comot from exile dey build temple for our Papa, ²dem come meet Zerubbabel and di family heads talk say, “Make we join una build—we dey seek una God just as una dey do am, and we don dey offer sacrifice give am since di days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, wey carry us come up here.”

³But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and di oda family heads of Israel tell dem say, “Una no get any part with us for building house for our Papa. Na we alone go build for our Papa, just as King Cyrus of Persia command us.”

⁴Den di people of di land make di hand of di people of Judah weak, and dem dey put fear for dem so dem no go build. ⁵Dem pay advisers make dem work against dem and spoil dem plan, all through di reign of Cyrus king of Persia sotay reach di reign of Darius king of Persia. ⁶For di early part of Xerxes reign, dem write accusation against di people wey dey stay for Judah and Jerusalem.

Letter Against di People of our Papa

⁷For di reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and dem colleagues write give Artaxerxes king of Persia; dem write di letter for Aramaic script and translate am into di Aramaic language. ⁸Rehum di commander and Shimshai di scribe write letter against Jerusalem give King Artaxerxes: ⁹Rehum di commander, Shimshai di scribe, and di rest of dem colleagues—di judges, officials, and administrators wey dey over di people of Erech, di Babylonians, and di people of Susa (wey be di Elamites), ¹⁰and di oda nations wey di great, noble Osnappar carry comot and settle for di city of Samaria and di rest of di province wey dey Across di River. ^a a v10 Di province Across di River na di Persian district for west of di Euphrates River, wey cover Syria and di lands wey dey around Judah.

¹¹Copy of di letter wey dem send give am: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, di people of di province Across di River. And now, ¹²make di king know: di Jews wey comot from you come meet us don reach Jerusalem. Dem dey rebuild dat rebellious, wicked city, dey finish di walls and dey repair di foundations. ¹³Make di king know say: if dem rebuild dis city and finish im walls, dem no go pay any tribute, tax, or toll, and di royal treasury go suffer loss. ¹⁴Since na di palace we dey depend on for our living, and e no correct make we see di king dey suffer disrespect, we send word come inform di king, ^b b v14 To “chop di salt of di palace” mean say person dey for di king service and bind to am for loyalty. ¹⁵so dat dem fit search inside di records of your ancestors. Inside dose records you go find dis city as rebellious, harmful to kings and provinces, dey stir revolt since ancient times—na for dat reason dem destroy am. ¹⁶We dey inform di king: if dem rebuild dis city and finish im walls, you no go get any portion for Across di River.

¹⁷Di king reply: To Rehum di commander, Shimshai di scribe, and dem colleagues wey dey Samaria and di rest of Across di River: Greetings. Now den, ¹⁸dem don read di letter wey una send us aloud and translate am give me. ¹⁹I order say make dem search, and dem find say dis city don dey rise against kings for long time, dey stir rebellion and revolt. ²⁰Powerful kings don rule Jerusalem, govern all Across di River, and collect tribute, tax, and toll. ²¹Now, order dese men make dem stop, so dat dem no go rebuild dis city until I command am. ²²No neglect dis matter. Why dis threat go grow and harm di interest of di kings?

²³Once dem read di copy of King Artaxerxes letter give Rehum, Shimshai di scribe, and dem associates, dem rush go meet di Jews for Jerusalem and stop dem by force and power. ²⁴So di work for di house of our Papa for Jerusalem stop, and e stay stop, until di second year of di reign of Darius king of Persia.